Episodes

Nov. 8, 2022

Tue. 11/08 - 3D Printing Human Organs In Space

From a 3D bioprinter for human tissues to pumpkin spice cappuccinos, here’s the cargo being delivered on board the S.S. Sally Ride tomorrow to the International Space Station. Plus, this time it’s not just in your head, the New York Times really is making some (small) changes to Wordle. A puzzle ex…
Nov. 7, 2022

Mon. 11/07 - The Uncertain Future of Social Media, Our Phones, & Us

On TikTok, Twitter, and more broadly how social media has changed us, how we might finally be approaching a tipping point in how we use it, and the ways in which our devices play just as large a role as the algorithms.
Nov. 4, 2022

Fri. 11/04 - Music to Prevent Nightmares

Could a musical cue played while you’re asleep help prevent nightmares? Plus, a round-up of science news from this month in history. And the US government might be getting an official Space Bureau.
Nov. 3, 2022

Thu. 11/04 - How the World Series Led To the Television Boom

A deep dive into two major events that led to the television boom, and a question of what that has meant for the artifice and theatricality of live events.
Nov. 2, 2022

Wed. 11/02 - Cornhole Controversy

2022 has been the year of cheating. The latest scandal to rock a niche community? BagGate at the American Cornhole League World Championships. Plus, Collins Dictionary has declared “permacrisis” their word of the year. And an exciting update for what you probably all know by now is my most-anticipa…
Nov. 1, 2022

Tue. 11/01 - Dracula: A Tale of Misinformation?

Why does Dracula still resonate with audiences over a century later? The disease narrative is one possible reason, but there’s another less-discussed theory too. Plus, one team of scientists have detected traces of an ancient ocean on Mars. And a turkey-flavored beer for your dog to enjoy this Than…
Oct. 31, 2022

Mon. 10/31 - Queen's Victoria's Halloween Ragers

Dispatches from the Recreational Fear Lab on why being scared might be a healthy thing. And the raucous Halloween parties Queen Victoria used to throw in Scotland.
Oct. 28, 2022

Fri. 10/28 - Best Of: Candy Corn, Witches, & Spine-Tingling Music

In our first-ever "Best Of" episode, we look back at the history of candy corn. How did this contentious candy come to be, why does it persist when so many people hate it, and does it really contain bug secretions? Plus, a segment from 2020, were witches back in the day really mixing tongues and ey…
Oct. 27, 2022

Thu. 10/27 - This Is Your Brain On Books

Can the books we read permanently change our brains? Or at least impact our values over a lifetime? Two studies that used undergrads as guinea pigs attempt to quantify the effects of powerful books on our brains. Plus, the upcoming election night lunar eclipse and a Halloween asteroid.
Oct. 26, 2022

Wed. 10/26 - Men Eat Red Meat, Women Eat Salads –– But Why?

How and why did food become so gendered? Y’know, men eat red meat and women eat salads. When did those associations begin? Plus, according to new evolutionary findings, animals might have begun to vocalize to each other even before they had ears.
Oct. 25, 2022

Tue. 10/25 - Parkour Activists

Why marigolds are so prevalent in cultural celebrations around the world this time of year. Plus, how insect swarms affect atmospheric electricity. And the parkour athletes turned environmental activists.
Oct. 24, 2022

Mon. 10/24 - Eau de Witchcraft

Why scents and fragrances have been so strongly associated with witchcraft throughout time and how those associations influence witchcraft, feminism, and misogyny today. Plus, a wild bison has been born in England for the first time in thousands of years. And, if you’re in the mood for a long, lone…
Oct. 20, 2022

Thu. 10/20 - How the Black Death Changed Our Genes

How the Black Death changed the course of human evolution. Plus, the exoplanet with a marshmallow-like atmosphere. And IKEA is testing out autonomous delivery vehicles.
Oct. 19, 2022

Wed. 10/19 - The Rise of Human Composting, a Burial Alternative

A look into the growing movement of human composting as a funeral option. Plus, Anna May Wong quarters start shipping in the US on Monday. And two iconic movies with intriguing reboots on the horizon.
Oct. 18, 2022

Tue. 10/18 - How Quickly Would Vampires Make Humans Extinct?

Could vampires exist, mathematically speaking? Plus, an update on COVID variants of concern as we head into winter. And the United Kingdom has ruled that GIFs are still relevant and Meta can’t hog them all.
Oct. 17, 2022

Mon. 10/17 - The AI Chatbot Running for Office in Denmark

NASA isn’t the only one who may launch a rocket to the moon next month. Plus, a Danish political party led by an AI chatbot that’s running for office. A new horror film that’s causing people to faint and puke in theaters. And, bringing all new meaning to “BTS Army,” the members of BTS are officiall…
Oct. 14, 2022

Fri. 10/14 - CIA-Funded Woolly Mammoths

The FCC has just proposed new rules to combat space junk. Plus, remember the company trying to bring back the woolly mammoth? The CIA just invested in them. Plus, a previously unheard Queen song, featuring Freddie Mercury’s vocals, was just released.
Oct. 13, 2022

Thu. 10/13 - Warhol & Prince & Galileo & Elvis.

A Supreme Court case involving Prince and Andy Warhol that could have huge implications on the future of art. Plus, a new book by Galileo just dropped. And a song sung by 100,000 people who didn’t know they were singing together.
Oct. 12, 2022

Wed. 10/12 - Space Age Clam Slam

The verdict on that asteroid NASA hit with a spacecraft last month. Plus, Tom Cruise’s latest plan to make history in space. And the latest Cards Against Humanity expansion pack that you can only buy at Target, and which is submerged within a jar of clam-flavored mayonnaise.
Oct. 11, 2022

Tue. 10/11 - The Ghost of Halloween Candy Panics Past

Another Halloween, another candy tampering panic. While these panics rarely––if ever––bear fruit, poisoned candy and concerns around it have a longer history than you might suspect. Plus, a voter fraud scandal has rocked the wholesome Fat Bear Week contest.
Oct. 10, 2022

Mon. 10/10 - Cyborg Cockroaches Are Here To Save the Day

Just in time for Halloween, we’ve got cyborg cockroaches. As terrifying as it sounds though, they might actually end up saving our lives. Plus, a round-up of recommendations for celebrating Indigenous People today and everyday. And an upcoming slasher horror version of The Grinch.
Oct. 7, 2022

Fri. 10/07 - When Novelty Halloween Songs Ruled The Billboard Charts

What the heck is a flying purple people eater and why did that song about one stick around for so long? Plus, remember the Ice Bucket Challenge? Eight years later, we’ve got a look at just how big a difference it made. But is the new ALS treatment the challenge helped fund as great as it seems?
Oct. 6, 2022

Thu. 10/06 - Jinkies! I Can't Believe Butter Is So Expensive

I’m back with another shortage report. This time? Butter. Plus, sleep tourism is apparently a thing now. And Velma from Scooby-Doo is officially super gay, for real this time.
Oct. 5, 2022

Wed. 10/05 - Bruce Willis Deepfake Deal is Fake, But Others Could Be Coming

It’s Nobel Prize week. With three prizes announced and three yet to come, here are the winners in Physics, Chemistry, and Physiology or Medicine. Plus, Bruce Willis did not sell the rights to his digital twin to a deepfake firm, but could someone choose to do so eventually? More on the murky world …